When I fired up the DVR to watch the Seattle Seahawks-Minnesota Vikings game this weekend (I need stronger bunny ears to get KOMO from 3,000 miles away), the part of the game I was most curious about was how the Seahawks were using the young wide receivers they’re going to be relying upon this season.
I began taking some notes, which led to me using Excel to track down and distance, who was split wide, who was the flanker, who lined up in the slot, etc…Before long, I realized that I might as well just chart everything and sort it out later.
So I did.
The results of this endeavor are below.
OFFENSE
Let’s start out simple. How many plays did each of Seattle’s quarterbacks play on Friday night against Minnesota?
Quarterback Plays
Offensive Line
Seattle used three primary offensive line combinations on Friday night. They were:
OL |
1st-Team |
2nd-Team |
3rd-Team |
LT |
71-W.Jones |
78-K.Williams |
73-W.Robinson |
LG |
68-M.Wahle |
63-P.Murray |
63-P.Murray |
C |
69-S.Vallos |
69-S.Vallos |
57-B.Claxton |
RG |
67-R.Sims |
66-M.Wrotto |
66-M.Wrotto |
RT |
75-S.Locklear |
74-R.Willis |
74-R.Willis |
Notes: The first-team offensive line played three series (20 plays).
The second-team offensive line played six series (32 plays).
The third-team offensive line played two series (14 plays).
Will Robinson did see a play or two at left tackle in place of Kyle Williams.
Kyle Williams replaced Will Robinson after Robinson left the game with an ankle injury.
Personnel Groupings - Offense, including Run/Pass %
Personnel Group |
Pass |
Run |
Total |
Pass % |
Run % |
2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE |
9 |
8 |
17 |
52.9% |
47.1% |
1 RB, 4 WR |
3 |
0 |
3 |
100.0% |
0.0% |
1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE |
9 |
9 |
18 |
50.0% |
50.0% |
1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100.0% |
0.0% |
2 RB, 3 WR |
8 |
14 |
22 |
36.4% |
63.6% |
2 RB, 1 WR, 2 TE |
0 |
4 |
4 |
0.0% |
100.0% |
2 RB, 3 TE |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100.0% |
0.0% |
Notes: While Seattle only threw four passes from the 1-4-0, or “Eagle” personnel group, they did throw from a 4-wide set on 6 additional plays. In those plays, Maurice Morris (3), T.J. Duckett (2) and John Carlson (1) lined up as a wide receiver.
Player-by-Player Personnel Group Count
I was curious to see how many plays each player got in each personnel group. Below is a list, sorted numerically by position (RB-WR-TE), and the number of plays they played in each personnel group, as well as a total number of plays that player was on the field for:
Player |
2-2-1 |
1-4-0 |
1-3-1 |
1-2-2 |
2-3-0 |
2-1-2 |
2-0-3 |
Total |
20-M.Morris |
6 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
22-J.Jones |
3 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
30-J.Forsett |
3 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
17 |
34-D.Kirtman |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
12 |
35-O.Schmitt |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
1 |
19 |
43-L.Weaver |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
45-T.Duckett |
5 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
21 |
14-J.Filani |
7 |
2 |
7 |
0 |
15 |
2 |
1* |
34 |
16-M.Bumpus |
1 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
17-T.Shelton |
0 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
18-B.Gilmore |
7 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
27 |
19-L.Payne |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
81-N.Burleson |
7 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
20 |
82-J.Kent |
3 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
83-D.Branch |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
84-B.Engram |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
86-C.Taylor |
3 |
1 |
8 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
17 |
87-B.Obomanu |
3 |
1 |
8 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
46-J.Newton |
4 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
16 |
85-W.Heller |
7 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
88-J.Putzier |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
89-J.Carlson |
6 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
14 |
Notes: Joel Filani was lined up as a tight end/h-back on his 1-yard touchdown reception.
In the Slot
I charted the number of times each player lined up as a slot receiver. With Bobby Engram out for 6-to-8 weeks with a broken bone in his shoulder, that data may shed some light on who could fill that role in 3-wide sets in his absence.
Receiver |
Slot Plays |
Total |
% of Plays in Slot |
16-M.Bumpus |
20 |
21 |
95.2% |
17-T.Shelton |
10 |
13 |
76.9% |
87-B.Obomanu |
12* |
19 |
63.2% |
84-B.Engram |
3 |
5 |
60.0% |
81-N.Burleson |
4 |
20 |
20.0% |
89-J.Carlson |
1 |
14 |
7.1% |
82-J.Kent |
1 |
16 |
6.3% |
86-C.Taylor |
1 |
17 |
5.9% |
18-B.Gilmore |
1 |
27 |
3.7% |
14-J.Filani |
0 |
34 |
0.0% |
19-L.Payne |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
83-D.Branch |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
85-W.Heller |
0 |
13 |
0.0% |
88-J.Putzier |
0 |
3 |
0.0% |
Notes: After Engram left the game, Seattle ran 13 first-half plays from a 3 or 4-wide receiver set. Ben Obomanu was lined up in the slot on 12 of those 13 plays.
DEFENSE
By my count, Seattle used 12 different personnel groups on defense against Minnesota. There were five “Base” packages (4 DL, 3 LB, 3 DB), four “Nickel” packages (4-2-5), one “Goal-line” package (5-3-3) and two “4-4” packages (4-4-3).
Seattle was so short-handed on defense Friday night (9 of the 15 inactive players were from the defense), so I wouldn’t read too much into these personnel groupings. They’ll change as guys get healthy.
Formation |
Plays |
Runs |
Pass |
Run% |
Pass% |
Base-1 |
10 |
1 |
9 |
10.0% |
90.0% |
Base-2 |
6 |
5 |
1 |
83.3% |
16.7% |
Base-3 |
12 |
7 |
5 |
58.3% |
41.7% |
Base-4 |
7 |
1 |
6 |
14.3% |
85.7% |
Base-5 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
50.0% |
50.0% |
Nickel-1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0.0% |
100.0% |
Nickel-2 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
0.0% |
100.0% |
Nickel-3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0.0% |
100.0% |
Nickel-4 |
14 |
2 |
12 |
14.3% |
85.7% |
Goal-line |
3 |
3 |
0 |
100.0% |
0.0% |
4-4 (1) |
0* |
0 |
0 |
0.0% |
0.0% |
4-4 (2) |
2 |
2 |
0 |
100.0% |
0.0% |
Notes: Seattle first showed a 4-4 look on a 3rd and 1 play in the 1st quarter, but the play was negated by a false start penalty on Minnesota.
Base Packages
Pos |
Base-1 |
Base-2 |
Base-3 |
Base-4 |
Base-5 |
LDE |
59-B.Atkins |
59-B.Atkins |
52-J.Babin |
52-J.Babin |
52-J.Babin |
LDT |
99-R.Bernard |
93-C.Terrill |
93-C.Terrill |
93-C.Terrill |
60-K.Brown |
RDT |
92-B.Mebane |
94-H.Green |
94-H.Green |
94-H.Green |
94-H.Green |
RDE |
55-D.Tapp |
95-L.Jackson |
95-L.Jackson |
95-L.Jackson |
95-L.Jackson |
SLB |
56-L.Hill |
58-D.Lewis |
58-D.Lewis |
58-D.Lewis |
58-D.Lewis |
MLB |
51-L.Tatupu |
44-D.Hawthorne |
44-D.Hawthorne |
44-D.Hawthorne |
44-D.Hawthorne |
WLB |
98-J.Peterson |
50-L.Laury |
50-L.Laury |
50-L.Laury |
50-L.Laury |
LCB |
23-M.Trufant |
32-K.Hobbs |
32-K.Hobbs |
32-K.Hobbs |
32-K.Hobbs |
RCB |
21-K.Jennings |
26-J.Wilson |
26-J.Wilson |
26-J.Wilson |
26-J.Wilson |
FS |
24-D.Grant |
39-C.Wallace |
39-C.Wallace |
33-K.Johnson |
33-K.Johnson |
SS |
25-B.Russell |
36-J.Adams |
36-J.Adams |
36-J.Adams |
36-J.Adams |
Notes: Jason Babin replaced Lawrence Jackson for a couple of plays in the Base-2 defense.
Nickel Packages
Pos |
Nickel 1 |
Nickel-2 |
Nickel-3 |
Nickel-4 |
LDE |
55-D.Tapp |
59-B.Atkins |
52-J.Babin |
52-J.Babin |
LDT |
99-R.Bernard |
93-C.Terrill |
93-C.Terrill |
60-K.Brown |
RDT |
95-L.Jackson |
94-H.Green |
94-H.Green |
94-H.Green |
RDE |
98-J.Peterson |
95-L.Jackson |
95-L.Jackson |
95-L.Jackson |
LB |
56-L.Hill |
50-L.Laury |
50-L.Laury |
50-L.Laury |
LB |
51-L.Tatupu |
44-D.Hawthorne |
44-D.Hawthorne |
44-D.Hawthorne |
LCB |
23-M.Trufant |
32-K.Hobbs |
32-K.Hobbs |
32-K.Hobbs |
RCB |
21-K.Jennings |
31-O.Lowe |
31-O.Lowe |
31-O.Lowe |
NCB |
26-J.Wilson |
26-J.Wilson |
26-J.Wilson |
26-J.Wilson |
FS |
24-D.Grant |
39-C.Wallace |
33-K.Johnson |
33-K.Johnson |
SS |
25-B.Russell |
36-J.Adams |
36-J.Adams |
36-J.Adams |
Notes: Josh Wilson was playing the nickel corner the entire night, lining up in the slot all 21 times Seattle went to a nickel package.
4-4 Packages
Pos |
4-4 (1) |
4-4 (2) |
LDE |
59-B.Atkins |
59-B.Atkins |
LDT |
99-R.Bernard |
93-C.Terrill |
RDT |
92-B.Mebane |
94-H.Green |
RDE |
55-D.Tapp |
52-J.Babin |
LOLB |
98-J.Peterson |
50-L.Laury |
ILB |
51-L.Tatupu |
44-D.Hawthorne |
ILB |
56-L.Hill |
58-D.Lewis |
ROLB |
50-L.Laury |
36-J.Adams |
CB |
23-M.Trufant |
26-J.Wilson |
FS |
24-D.Grant |
39-C.Wallace |
SS |
25-B.Russell |
33-K.Johnson |
Notes: The second group technically isn’t a 4-4, but Adams was lined up next to D.D. Lewis on both plays. Kelin Johnson was lined up 10-15 yards off the line of scrimmage to protect against the pass.
Goal-line Package
Pos |
GL-1 |
LDE |
59-B.Atkins |
LDT |
99-R.Bernard |
NT |
93-C.Terrill |
RDT |
92-B.Mebane |
RDE |
55-D.Tapp |
SLB |
56-L.Hill |
MLB |
51-L.Tatupu |
WLB |
98-J.Peterson |
S |
25-B.Russell |
S |
24-D.Grant |
CB |
23-M.Trufant |
I’ll be tracking this data for the remainder of the preseason, so if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to send them to me here.